Golf glove



Aug. 13, 1963 p s, BlLLlNGs 3,100,302

GOLF GLOVE Filed D80. 6, 1 961 I NVENTOR.

BY Parnell s. Billings United States Patent 3,100,362 GOLF GLUVE Parnell Samuel Billings, 74 W. Plymouth St, North Long Beach, Calif. Filed Dec. 6, 1961, fier. No. 157,335 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-160) This invention relates to a glove used in playing the game of golf, and more particularly to an improved glove which facilitates the maintenance of a proper grip on a golf club.

It has long been known and taught by experts in the game of golf that the maintenance of a pncper grip on the golf club is vitally essential to a good swing. Proper gripping of the club handle enables the golfer to control the club head at all times before and during the swing, and also permits freedom of wrist action. A proper grip by the left hand, or by the right hand in the case of lefthanded golfers, requires that the club handle be laid along the base of the fingers, and that major pressure be applied by the last three fingers of the hand.

Golf gloves are used by most golfers to provide firm gripping contact with the club handle. In addition, certain gloves have heretofore been designed to aid in the training of the novice golfer in accomplishing the proper grip, or to encourage the proper grip in the more experienced golfer. These training gloves, however, were relatively expensive and cumbersome, and their construction was so complicated that they were not usable except as a training glove. Even for such use, it was not without some difiiculty. Since a quality golf glove is a fairly expensive item, it is desirable to have a single glove which may be used to advantage in both training and for ordinary play.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a golf glove which encourages maximum gripping pres sure on a club handle by the last three fingers of the left hand in the case of a right-handed player, for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf glove which will quickly remind the user of the ideal placement of the golf club in the hand for a proper grip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rel-atively low cost golf glove which may be easily used as a training or practice glove, as well as in the conventional manner for ordinary play.

A feature of the invention is the provision in a golf glove for use on the left hand, for instance, of an elastic band which will engage the club handle and twist to suggest pressure on the handle by the last three fingers of the hand, and physically insure a proper grip on the golf club.

Another feature of the invention is the provision in a golf glove of a band across the base of the second, third and fourth fingers thereof to remind the wearer of the necessary club handle placement in the hand for a proper grip during the entire swing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows the golf glove of the invention as it is actually used as a training glove;

FIG. 2 shows a full fingered embodiment of the glove as it appears on an open hand; and

FIG. 3 shows the glove on an open hand but with a club handle inserted prior to gripping the handle with the fingers.

The invention provides a golf glove generally of convention-a1 design. A band of elasticized material is sewn to the glove at the third and fifth fingers of a five-finger glove to extend substantially across the base of the third, fourth and fifth fingers. If the invention is practiced with a glove having no thumb, the elastic band extends from the outside of the portion for the little finger on the hand to the forefinger side of the glove portion for the middle finger of the hand.

3,109,302 Patented Aug. 13, 1963 Insertion of a golf club handle under the elastic band. and assumption of the normal grip on the golf club handle by a hand wearing the golf glove will cause twisting of the elastic band on the handle. The tension caused by the twisting of the band serves to encourage a tightening of the last three fingers of the hand on the club handle, and draws the club into the correct position across the palm of the hand. Thus, maintenance of a proper grip on the golf club is aided.

Furthermore, it is possible to use the glove in a conventional manner without insertion of the club under the band. When using the glove in this manner, the band still provides a reminder to the user of proper placement of the club handle in the hand.

Referring to FIG. 1, a golf glove 10 is shown as worn on a left hand as it (and the right hand 14 which is shown in phantom) assumes a conventional grip on golf club handle 16. The glove is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 without a thumb portion and only partial finger portions in a conventional manner, while a full glove is shown in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the fingers of the left hand fit into finger portions 26, 23, 30, and 32 of glove '10. An elastic band 34 is provided as a loop on the palm side of the glove to receive club handle 16. Band 34 is so positioned, as will be fully explained later, that when a grip on a club handle 16 is assumed, band 34 twists and is tensioned to encourage pressure on the club handle by the last three fingers of the left hand. In one commercial embodiment of the invention, the band 34 is one-half of an inch wide, however band widths of from one-quarter inch to one inch have been found to be satisfactory. The length will depend on the size of the glove itself, as can be understood from the drawings.

On either the full-fingered glove 10a of FIG. 2, or the partial-finger glove .10 of FIGS. 1 and 3, a band 34 of elasticized material extends across the base of the last three finger portions. Referring particularly to FIG. 2, one end of band 34 is preferably sewn to the outer edge of finger portion 26a and the other end to the forefinger side of finger portion 30a to form a loop which lies against the glove when the glove is placed on the hand. The elastic band is strong enough and is secured so firmly to the fingers that it is capable of retaining the handle of a golf club within the loop and against the glove material.

Use of the glove as a training or practice device is accomplished by inserting club handle 16 under elastic band 34. As shown in FIG. 3 (and it is precisely the same for the FIG. 2 construction), when the left hand is twisted to assume a grip on handle '16, hand 34 will twist also, drawing handle '16 into proper position and encouraging pressure by the last three fingers of the hand on handle 16 for a proper grip. I

During ordinary play the wearer of the glove may wish to use it in a conventional manner, that is, without taking the trouble to insert handle 16 under band 34. This is easily accomplished since band 34 takes up little room when lying fiat against finger portions 26, 28 and 30. Furthermore, when the glove 10 (01- 10a) is used in this manner, band 34 adds little or no bulk but provides the wearer with a convenient reminder of the proper positioning of club handle 16 in the left hand. All the wearer need do is lay the club handle along the length of band 34 and the handle will be positioned properly at the base of the fingers of the left hand.

It may be seen, therefore, that the invention provides an improved glove which may be used during ordinary play in which case the wearer is reminded of proper placement of the club handle in the hand, or which may be used as a training or practice device in which case proper placement of the club handle in the :hand and proper pressure by the last three fingers on the handle are encouraged.

These functions are accomplished in a simple, sturdy construction at little cost, but assisting to provide a grip on 1. In a'glove to be worn on the players hand for aiding in the proper gripping of a golf club handle and including finger portions therein, the combination of a band of elastic material secured at one end to the finger portion for the middle finger and at the other end to the finger portion for the little finger, and being freely disposed substantially along the base of said finger portions on the palm side of the glove, with said band so attached at the ends to lie flat against the base of said finger portions and forming a loop at the base of the said finger portions so that insertion of a club handle under said band and the assumption of a grip on the club handle will cause twistring of said band to encourage pressure on said handle by the last three fingers of the players hand.

2. In a glove for aiding the proper gripping of a golf club handle and including finger portions and a thumb portion therein, the combination of a band of elastic material secured to said glove and extending across the finger portions thereof on the palm side of the glove, said band being freely disposed substantially along the base of said finger portions to lie flat against the same and form a loop adapted to receive the golf club handle and exert pressure thereon to insure proper grip of said golf club handle.

3. A glove to be worn on the hand of a user to aid the proper gripping of a golf club handle, said glove including second, third and fourth finger portions, and a band of elastic material extending across said second, third and fourth finger portions and having ends thereof aflixed to said second and fourth finger portions respectively, said band being freely disposed substantially along the base of said second, third and fourth finger portions to lie fiat against the same and form a loop therewith so that insertion of the handle under said band and assumption of a grip on the handle by the hand wearing said glove will cause twisting' of said band to encourage pressure on the handle by the second, third and fourth fingers of the hand for use as a training glove, and so that placement of 7 being freely disposed substantially along the juncture of said second, third and fourth finger portions with said palm portion, said band being of a length substantially equal to the span of said second, third and fourth finger portions at the juncture with said palm portion to cause said band, to lie flat against the said juncture and form a loop therewith so that insertion of the handle under said band and assumption of a grip on the handle by the hand wearing said glove will cause twisting of said band to encourage pressure on the handle by the second, third and fourth fingers of the hand for use as a training glove, and so that placement of the handle along the outer surface of said band will align the club properly for use as a playing glove.

5. A golf glove having a thumbless body portion and first, second, third and fourth finger portions, said finger portions having open ends and of substantially half length, and a band of elastic material extending across said second, third and fourth finger portions and having ends thereof fixed to said second and fourth finger portions respectively, said band being freely disposed substantially along the juncture of said second, third and fourth finger portions with said pal-In portion, said band being of a length substantially equal to the span of said second, third and fourth finger portions at the juncture with said palm portion to cause said band to lie flat against the said juncture and form a loop therewith so that insertion of said handle under said band and assumption of a grip on the handle by the hand wearing said glove will cause a twisting of said band to encourage pressure on the handle by the second, third and fourth fingers of the hand for use as a training glove, and so that placement of said handle along the outer surface of said band will align the club properly for use as a playing glove.

6. A glove to be worn on the hand of a user to aid the proper gripping of a golf club handle, said glove including a palm portion, a wrist portion having an adjustable strap thereon, first, second, third and fourth finger portions extending from said palm portion and a band of elastic material having a width in the range of one-quarter inch to one inch and extending across said second, third and fourth finger portions and'having ends thereof fixed to said second and fourth finger portions respectively, said band being freely disposed substantially along the juncture of said second, third and fourth finger portions with said palm portion, said band being of a length substantially equal to the span of said second, third and fourth finger portions at the juncture with said palm portion to cause said band to lie flat against the said juncture and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,328 r Gerrits Aug. 17, 1948 2,522,344 Carmin Sept. 12, 1950 2,852,779 Roessler Sept. 23, 1958 2,867,814 Miles Jan. 13, 1959 

1. IN A GLOVE TO BE WORN ON THE PLAYER''S HAND FOR AIDING IN THE PROPER GRIPPING OF A GOLF CLUB HANDLE AND INCLUDING FINGER PORTIONS THEREIN, THE COMBINATION OF A BAND OF ELASTIC MATERIAL SECURED AT ONE END TO THE FINGER PORTION FOR THE MIDDLE FINGER AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE FINGER PORTION FOR THE LITTLE FINGER, AND BEING FREELY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE BASE OF SAID FINGER PORTIONS ON THE PALM SIDE OF THE GLOVE, WITH SAID BAND SO ATTACHED AT THE ENDS TO LIE FLAT AGAINST THE BASE OF SAID FINGER PORTIONS AND FORMING A LOOP AT THE BASE OF THE SAID FINGER PORTIONS SO THAT INSERTION OF A CLUB HANDLE UNDER SAID BAND AND THE ASSUMPTION OF A GRIP ON THE CLUB HANDLE WILL CAUSE TWISTING OF SAID BAND TO ENCOURAGE PRESSURE ON SAID HANDLE BY THE LAST THREE FINGERS OF THE PLAYER''S HAND. 